Will Devon Alexander 'The Great' Be Great Against Andriy Kotelnik

This weekend, Devon Alexander “The Great” steps into the ring against Andriy Kotelnik. This is a legitimate top 10 light welterweight match up.

Alexander should get credit for taking this fight because Kotelnik is a former titlist and legitimate top 10 fighter. Kotelnik isn’t the cream of the division, but he is a great step up fight.

Alexander is being hailed as the best fighter in the light welterweight division but I disagree. He has beaten two top 10 fighters and has only been in two title fights.

Timothy Bradley on the other hand has beaten four top 10 opponents and has been in four title fights. He has defended his title successfully three times.

He would have a fifth title fight and fourth successful defense if the Nate Campbell fight would have continued. I digress back to Alexander though.

Alexander is surely looking to make a statement again this Saturday. In his last fight, he knocked out iron chinned Juan Urango with a perfectly placed uppercut in the round eight.

Kotelnik is another fighter with a few losses (three), but has yet to be knocked out. To my knowledge, Kotelnik has yet to hit the canvas even though he has faced some big punchers.

He is coming off of a loss, to Amir Khan, but is still a dangerous fighter. He is the only man to beat the huge punching Marcos Maidana and that was only two fights ago.

There is no shame in the three losses Kotelnik has. He has lost to current titlist Khan, former titlist Junior Witter, and current interim WBA welterweight titlist Souleyman M’baye.

M’baye was also a titlist at light welterweight and drew with Kotelnik in a second fight. Kotelnik has only lost to the best but has some good names on his resume as well.

He beat former Olympic medalist Muhammad Abdullayev when he was still useful, took the title and undefeated record from Gavin Rees, and the big punching Maidana.

Alexander on the other hand has beaten a older Witter, a old DeMarcus Corley and the very tough but very limited Urango.

As you can see his best wins are over two old fighters and a limited fighter who had already been exposed. The one thing you can’t deny is the talent of Alexander.

He may not have a big name on his resume but the talent is clearly there. His hands aren’t as fast as Khan’s but he has good hand speed and he may not punch as hard as Maidana but he has very good power.

He is very confident in himself and he seems to have a great game plan every time he steps into the ring. That seems to be his biggest strength that I have seen.

He comes in knowing what he has to do and if adjustments are needed he makes them. His trainer Kevin Cunningham isn’t the biggest name in boxing but he seems to do a great job getting Alexander prepared.

When Alexander steps through the ropes this weekend he will have a legitimate opponent on the other side of the ring.

The only question is will he prove to be Alexander the Great or Alexander the Fake? If you ask me this 23 year old from St. Louis is headed for greatness.